1. Field of the Invention
The present invention describes the use of reactive hotmelt adhesives in hybrid components (structural components).
2. Discussion of the Background
Structural components are components with subordinate aesthetic requirements which are employed in the construction both of vehicles and of aircraft in the area of load-bearing parts and of force-accommodating parts.
The structural components of the present invention are notable in particular for the local reinforcements they have, which give the component particular mechanical properties. The increase in torsional rigidity with additional weight reduction is particularly noteworthy in the present invention as compared with existing components.
The hybrid components described in the present invention are notable in particular for the fact that they consist of an assembly of principally metals with polymers. A polymer structure is inserted by means of injection moulding techniques into a metal component, and gives the component the appropriate torsional rigidity and crash rigidity in addition to comparatively low weight.
The weak point in conventional hybrid components to date has been the attachment of the polymer to the metallic material. Here, as a result of contraction and different expansion coefficients in the various materials, disbonding of the constituents occurs, leading to deterioration in the mechanical properties. At the present time, conventional structure-forming hybrid components are produced by injection-moulding a polymeric material into a metallic material. The problem with this physical join is the transition between the polymer and the metal, since the materials have different mechanical properties, leading to an adverse effect on the strength of the assembly, as a result of shrinking of the polymer, for example, and hence likewise adversely affecting the torsional rigidity of the components.